20.02.2025 20:11
In response to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, who stated at the Ukraine summit in Riyadh, "We will never allow NATO forces to be deployed to Ukraine under the EU flag," NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said, "It is an undeniable fact that Europe will play a critical role in establishing peace in Ukraine."
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte stated, "It is an undeniable fact that Europe will play a critical role in establishing peace in Ukraine. We are in close contact with the U.S. administration at every level on this matter."
RESPONSE FROM NATO SECRETARY GENERAL TO LAVROV NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte met with Slovak President Peter Pellegrini. After the meeting, Rutte and Pellegrini held a joint press conference. Rutte responded to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's recent statement at the Ukraine summit held in Saudi Arabia, where he said, "We will never allow NATO forces to be deployed to Ukraine under the EU flag."
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte "EUROPE WILL PLAY A CRITICAL ROLE IN ESTABLISHING PEACE IN UKRAINE" Rutte said: "Eleven years ago, Russia invaded Crimea. Three years ago, Putin launched a full-scale invasion. He thought everything would be over in a few days. However, he underestimated Ukraine's resilience. He also underestimated the determination of our allies. Ukraine is not only our ally but also a neighbor of Slovakia. We all want to see the horrific aggression against Ukraine come to an end, and it is vital that any kind of agreement reached brings about lasting peace.
Furthermore, Russia must not attempt to take even a single square kilometer of Ukrainian territory again. This necessitates strong security guarantees, and NATO allies are actively discussing what this will require. There are still many issues to be resolved, but it is an undeniable fact that Europe will play a critical role in establishing peace in Ukraine. We are in close contact with the U.S. administration at every level on this matter, and we all agree that lasting peace in Ukraine is necessary."
Rutte added, "At the same time, we need to continue to strengthen Ukraine's hand. This way, they can come to the negotiating table in a strong position. We are fulfilling the commitments we made at the Washington Summit as an alliance. We have exceeded our financial commitments and provided more than 50 billion euros in security assistance last year."